I’m a lifelong Democrat and I want Susan Collins reelected | Opinion
Retired Cape Elizabeth lawyer Mary Ann Lynch backs Senator Susan Collins for reelection
By Maine News Now
A veteran of local politics and a former staffer to former governor Joseph Brennan, Mary Ann Lynch has publicly declared her support for Republican Senator Susan Collins in the 2026 Senate race. Lynch, who served eight years on the Cape Elizabeth Town Council—including two terms as council chairwoman—and who managed the 1980 campaign for Democrat Harold Pachios in Maine’s 1st congressional district, says she believes Collins’ bipartisan approach and record on social issues make her the best candidate for the state’s second Senate seat.
Lynch’s credentials and her reasons for endorsement
Lynch is a retired lawyer and lifelong Democrat who has described herself as a pro‑choice advocate. “As a lifelong Democrat and pro‑choice woman, I’m supporting Sen. Susan Collins’ reelection,” she said in a statement released to the press. “At a time of extreme partisanship, Collins is the most bipartisan senator in the nation. I also support her because of her civility, her positions on social issues and her strong record.”
The statement notes that Collins has repeatedly been ranked near the top of Georgetown University’s bipartisan index, which measures how often senators vote with the other party. Collins is also one of the few Republicans to have voted to convict former President Donald Trump after the January 6 Capitol riot.
Bipartisan voting record
Collins has cast the most deciding votes in the Senate, 56 on occasions when her vote tipped the outcome of legislation. The vast majority of those votes favored Democratic‑backed measures, a record that Lynch highlighted as evidence of Collins’ willingness to work across the aisle. She also cited a 2017 Georgetown University ranking that placed Collins at the top of the bipartisan list.
Social‑security and workers’ benefits
Collins’ work on the Social Security Fairness Act, co‑authored with Democrat Senator Sherrod Brown, restored earned benefits for Lynch and an estimated 25,000 other Maine residents. Lynch said the legislation had a “personal” impact on her, having seen her own Social Security benefits reduced by a state service penalty.
Stance on abortion and marriage equality
Collins has supported women’s right to choose and has backed marriage equality. In 2017, Planned Parenthood issued a press release praising Collins for voting against repealing Obamacare and defunding Planned Parenthood. Cecile Richards, the organization’s president, said: “Susan Collins has been an outspoken champion for women’s health … We are forever grateful for Senator Collins’ leadership.”
Supreme Court confirmations and LGBTQ+ advocacy
While critics have focused on Collins’ vote to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Lynch pointed out that Collins was the first Republican to endorse Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, as well as the first to support the confirmations of Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. The senator also helped repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in collaboration with Democrat Senator Joe Lieberman, and co‑authored the Respect for Marriage Act with Democrat Senator Tammy Baldwin. President Biden credited Collins at the bill’s signing: “Thank you, Susan Collins, you did not rest until this bill got done.”
Appropriations leadership
Collins is the first Maine senator in 92 years to chair the Senate Appropriations Committee. Since 2021, she has secured roughly $1.5 billion for Maine hospitals, businesses, local governments and nonprofits. Her role on the committee helped author the Paycheck Protection Program that saved about 250,000 Maine jobs during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Lynch said: “It is likely that every single Mainer has been positively affected by these federal grants. A prominent Democrat once told me we would be crazy not to reelect the chair of the Appropriations Committee.”
The broader context
Senator Collins was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002. She faces re‑election in 2026, when her current term will end. Her 2021–2026 tenure has included a focus on infrastructure, defense, and economic support for Maine. The press release from Lynch frames Collins’ record as “the most powerful senator in the nation,” a statement that has stirred discussion among both supporters and opponents.
The column in the Press Herald—published as part of the broader coverage of Maine’s 2026 election—serves as Lynch’s public endorsement, positioning Collins as the candidate who best represents bipartisan cooperation, social‑issue advocacy, and federal support for Maine’s communities.
As the election approaches, Maine voters will weigh Lynch’s endorsement alongside other endorsements, campaign messages, and the national political climate. The 2026 Senate race will likely attract attention from both parties, given Collins’ history of crossing party lines and the growing importance of bipartisan leadership in a polarized Congress.
